Five foreign consultancies register in Syria — on the Syndicate’s terms

Registration is open, but the work runs through a Syrian partner. What the Syndicate's decision requires, and how it will work.

Monday, 9 November 2026 — Reading time: 2 min

Five major foreign consultancy firms have registered in Syria, as the Syrian Engineers Syndicate activates Decision No. 3 of 2026 governing foreign consultancies. The number is expected to reach at least 10 by the end of the year.

The decision requires every foreign firm to work with a Syrian consulting office, with a consulting partner carrying the legal and technical responsibility for the work. The link is meant to keep responsibility clear from contract signature to project handover, instead of leaving the Syrian engineer alone with the consequences of any error.

Registration itself has published conditions: an actual headquarters for the firm inside Syria, a named signatory delegate, and meeting the Syndicate’s qualification requirements. Engineers working for foreign firms must also hold personal licences and Syrian Syndicate registration before practising.

The decision is ratified by the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, and it works alongside the Companies Law and Legislative Decree 29 of 2011 on licensing foreign company branches. The Syndicate continues coordinating with the General Secretariat of the Presidency and the ministries of Public Works and Housing, Economy and Finance, to circulate its provisions to their affiliated bodies.

The Syndicate’s secretary, Eng. Raseen Ismat, said the purpose of the decision is to guarantee a consulting partner who bears responsibility, and that the Syndicate set facilitated registration fees to encourage firms to enter within the published framework.

For her part, Umaima Idris, secretary of the Central Bar Association, explained that depositing plans and contracts with the Syndicate fixes the date designs were prepared and protects intellectual property, and that projects pass prior supervision and verification of professional standing before execution licences are granted. She added that requiring firms to contract with local offices and document contracts officially limits leaving the Syrian engineer alone with the consequences of design errors, under joint liability running 10 years under Article 651 of the Civil Code.

Registration applications are accompanied by incorporation contracts, a clearance certificate and proof of registration with the Ministry of Economy, in addition to the prescribed fees.

The step comes as engineering and investment projects are expected to expand during reconstruction, when the market needs foreign consulting expertise that complements national expertise rather than replacing it.

Prepared by Construction & Investment Prime (CIP)

Read next: Hand in Hand with the Syrian Engineer: Engineers Syndicate Cuts Audit Fees by up to 50% for Foreign Firms

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